beating

1[countable]an act of hitting somebody hard and repeatedly, as a punishment or in a fightto give somebody a beatingThey caught him and gave him a violent beating.

2[countable](informal)a very heavy defeatThe team has taken a few beatings this season.

3[uncountable]a series of regular blows to something such as a drum, or movements of something, such as your heart; the sound that this makesHe could hear the beating of his own heart.the beating of drums/wings